ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith Snubs Kevin Durant Only to Elevate Celtics Legend: “They Took It to Another Stratosphere”

Is Kevin Durant deserving of being ranked above Larry Bird? This question can easily stump an NBA fan, but Stephen A. Smith was quick to give his answer. Smith understood the argument for both of them to be considered one of the greatest to ever touch a basketball.

“I don’t believe Larry Bird is the talent that Kevin Durant is. I believe that Kevin Durant is one of the top 10 players in the history of basketball based on his skills and his stats. But there are certain things you can’t measure from stats…He (Larry Bird) had the NBA, like Magic Johnson, on his back. They took it to another stratosphere and made it acceptable for basketball to be brought into everyone’s living room… And that is the reason I’d have to give the edge to Bird over Durant,” said Stephen A. Smith in response to the question.

Smith agreed that Kevin Durant is a better talent and a superior basketball player than the Boston Celtics legend. But the overall impact that Bird has had on basketball cannot be ignored. The rivalry between Magic and Bird is what pushed the NBA forward to a wider audience back in the 1980s.

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Bird helped lay the groundwork for the NBA to become a global brand, and Durant can’t match that. But Durant can match and overtake Bird with his skills and stats as he has already revolutionized the small forward position. Although Bird has the impact, Durant has Bird beat in almost all major statistics in basketball. But is that enough?

Can Kevin Durant take over Larry Bird’s spot?

Although Bird is considered one of the best shooters in NBA history, he still falls short of Kevin Durant. While Larry Bird has a career three-point attempt per game of 1.9, Durant has never attempted less than 4 threes after his first two seasons in the NBA. Along with shooting more threes, Durant also has a better career shooting percentage from beyond the arc.

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Durant has beaten Bird in almost every stat imaginable. However, Bird has one more championship than Durant. But the major thing that makes it easy to separate Durant from Bird is Bird’s leadership on the court. Bird was able to lead a team to a championship, while Durant has not proven the same capabilities yet.

While it is hard to argue Durant’s real position on an all-time list while he is still playing in the NBA, the fans seem to agree with Smith, as he received an overwhelmingly positive response to his take.